


Until Then

by EozMoon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29364972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EozMoon/pseuds/EozMoon
Summary: Hermione and Blaise meet in secret one last time.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Blaise Zabini
Comments: 8
Kudos: 20
Collections: Love Fest 2021





	Until Then

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cozybits](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cozybits/gifts).



> For cozybits who suggested the prompt – Hermione and Blaise – Secret Relationship! 
> 
> This was written for Love Fest 2021.  
> #LF2021 #TeamCass
> 
> Many many thanks to Jamie Eliza who betaed this for me at the last min!

The library was silent apart from the scratching of her quill against parchment. Hermione didn’t need to re-write her Charms essay but the simple repetition of her words was cathartic. Something she desperately needed to calm her rising anxiety. She worried her lip as she checked the time once again. She had been waiting for over an hour.

The clicking of leather soles against the stone floor announced the arrival of an approaching stranger. She knew who it was before he even spoke, it could only have been him. This forgotten corner of the library had been their designated meeting spot for months.

The figure stopped, standing silently across the table from her. Hermione didn’t look up from her parchment.

“You’re later than you said you would be.” She muttered, trying to hide the hurt in her voice.

He sighed, coming closer to slide into the chair next to her.

“I apologize,” He replied, tiredness showing in his tone. He paused momentarily as he adjusted his perfectly ironed cuffs. “Unfortunately, it was unavoidable.”

Hermione pursed her lips, her brow furrowed. “You always say that. But you never say what it is.”

He looked guilty then. “Hermione…”

“Blaise please.” The utterance of his name caused his eyes to rise to hers.

“Leonessa,” Blaise replied, his tone softer now as he called her by his pet name. “You know I can’t discuss what my friends are up to any more than you can.”

Hermione slammed her quill down, causing a splattering of ink to skim across the table. Blaise cleaned it wordlessly with his wand before she could react. “My friends aren’t inclined to try to kill your friends!” She hissed.

  
  


Baize raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure about that, mi amor?”

  
  


Hermione swallowed her words as she thought back to only two days ago when Harry had nearly killed Draco. Blaise had a point. Both Ron and Harry would attack first, ask questions later when it came to anyone with suspected ties to Death Eaters. If they knew about Blaise…

  
  


Her eyes dropped to Blaise’s sleeve where she knew the Dark Mark was hidden. She knew he had taken it this summer with Nott and Malfoy, and she knew his reasons. She suspected his inability to go against his mother’s wishes was probably the same reason the other two boys may have also taken the mark. The optimist in her hoped that both boys shared their friend’s open mindedness.

Blaise’s gaze followed hers, and he frowned, pulling his arm under the table. Hermione reached over to stop him.

“Don’t, please,” she implored. “I don’t care about that. I know you had no choice.”

“And do you think your friends won’t care when they find out?” He countered, cocking an accusatory eyebrow.

“Let me handle Harry and Ron,” Hermione started, raising her chin out slightly.

  
  


Blaise caught her chin within his large hand. He chuckled as he softly caressed her skin with his finger tips. “My little Leonessa, I am supposed to be the one protecting you, not the other way around.”

He pressed the lightest of kisses against her lips, teasing her with thoughts of recent memories, before pulling away and leaving her wanting more. Hermione found herself leaning towards him as he sat back into his chair.

Blaise smirked knowingly. “You seem eager today, mi amor.”

Hermione bit her lip. “I’ve missed you. It’s been nearly a week since we’ve been able to spend time together.”

Blaise nodded. “I’ve missed you too,” he confessed softly. His eyes clouded over with sadness as he pondered silently before adding, “I’m not sure when I can see you again, _if_ I can see you again. I want to savour this moment.”

Hermione looked at him properly for the first time since he arrived. He looked drained, his eyes held a sadness that could no longer be hidden. He had always been a serious boy, who saved his rare smiles just for her, but the shadows behind his eyes troubled her. His fingers twitched, the only tell that he longed to touch her. A twitch of a hand, a bouncing knee, lips pressed tightly in restraint – the only chinks in his otherwise expressionless demeanour. The briefest of moments that hinted of his desire for her.

She thought back to that night, where he offered her sanctuary from McLaggen’s clutches and for one evening they were able to just be. Just a brief moment in time where there was no Slytherin and Gryffindor divide, no bad and good, no dark or light side. They had just been Hermione and Blaise and she had loved every moment of it. It hadn’t been long before she caved and sought him out, desperate for his company once more. Late night discussions in the library had lead to secret meetings in abandoned classrooms and before long there was passionate embraces hidden behind tapestries and dark corners. He had never said the words out loud but she knew he loved her. And she loved him.

  
  


She leaned over and took his hand in hers, stroking his smooth knuckles with her thumb.

  
  


“You know something bad is about to happen, don’t you?” She asked carefully.

  
  


He looked at her and sighed, before brushing his lips tenderly over her hand in his. “There has been a… development.” He cupped her face in his large hands, bringing her closer. “Promise me Hermione, you’ll stay in your dormafter tonight.”

Hermione opened her mouth to protest, and Blaise continued, pleadingly. “Please Hermione.”

She dropped her eyes and bit her lip. “I promise. Unless Harry needs help, I will stay in my dorm.”

Blaise groaned in frustration, and pressed his forehead to hers. “You infuriate me, witch. Why must you be such a Gryffindor?”

  
  


“This isn’t about being a Gryffindor, this is about doing what I need to do,” Hermione protested.

  
  


Blaise nodded, his jaw taut as he reluctantly caved. Moving his hand to brush a stray curl from her face, he mummered. “I know you have to fight, you wouldn’t be you if you didn’t. But I don’t know how to protect you.”

Hermione leant into his touch, a shiver of desire running down her spine. “I am perfectly capable of protecting myself Blaise.” She replied determinedly.

Blaise chuckled, a rich deep sound that calmed her frayed nerves. “I know you are capably mi amor, but Merlin help me I’ll never survive if anything happens to you.” He sighed deeply, and leant down to press a firm kiss on her forehead. He held still for a moment, his lips still pressed against her skin before he whispered softly, “I love you.”

  
  


Hermione sobbed, her heart breaking as he finally said the words out loud, knowing it was only signalling the end of them. “I love you too,” she replied, tears running down her cheeks.

  
  


Blaise’s mouth quirked upwards in a small smile. “I did not think that sort of declaration warrants tears,” he said as he gently dried her eyes. “I rather thought it would make you happy to hear.”

Hermione’s breath hitched with a small laugh. “Oh it does make me happy.” She replied, leaning into his hard chest. She breathed in, taking a moment to savour the smell of his cologne. “I just know what this means.”

Blaise nodded silently. She felt his arms wrap slowly around her, holding her a fraction tighter than he normally did. His hands clutched her tightly as if he was afraid she would disappear from his arms in an instance if he so much as blinked. They sat there for a long while in silence just holding each other.

  
  


“One day, when this war is all over and the world is finally safe for you, I will tell the world how much I love you.” Blaise confessed quietly, a slight tremble in his voice breaking his composure. “And if you still love me too, after all this, I will marry you Hermione. And I will make sure you will never doubt how much you mean to me.”

  
  


Hermione closed her eyes and released a shakey breath as she held back her tears the best she could. “I doubt I could ever stop loving you Blaise.”

  
  


Strong hands slipped around the back of her neck and urged her upwards before he caught her lips in a demanding kiss. Hermione whimpered against Blaise’s lips as her desire caught hold, and she deepened the kiss. Blaise lifted her up, pulling her onto his lap, seemingly desperate to hold her as close as possible. He kissed her like a man starved of oxygen breathing life from her, memorizing every sensation, every curve of her body. His hands ran through her curls, familiarizing himself with each strand as he kissed her. Each kiss, each touch, and every gasp of breath grew more urgent from them both. Hermione found herself greedily drinking in every moment as desperately as Blaise did. She could feel him pressed against her, straining for attention between the apex of her thighs. Tentatively she reached between them to undo his trousers. This would be their last chance... Suddenly Blaise’s hand stopped hers, startling her. She looked at him confused.

“Please,” he begged, his voice rough with arousal. “You are worth so much more than a quick fumble against a library desk. I want to be able to take our time, and make love to you for hours on end.” He swallowed thickly and took a deep breath. “After all this, I swear, I’ll do right by you and do this properly.”

Hermione chewed her lip. “But I don’t want to die without…”

“Then don’t die.” Blaise cut her off, a fierce look in his eyes. Hermione nodded and kissed him, not knowing how else to respond to his demand.

Blaise pulled out a pocket watch from the breast pocket of his robes and glanced at the time. He groaned and offered Hermione an apologetic look. “I have to go.” He rubbed a hand over his face and dropped his gaze down to meet hers. “Merlin, I wish I didn’t have to. I wish I had more time with you.”

Hermione released a strained breath, her voice breaking as she replied, “I wish you did too.”

“I promise, my beautiful Leonessa, after all this, when you’ve won this forsaken war, we’ll be together again.” Blaise’s voice broke as he wrestled with his emotions as well. He brushed a curl behind her ear and offered Hermione a watery smile, that she struggled to return. “But until then.” He kissed her one last time, and she savoured the feel of his lips against hers before he pulled away far too quickly. He tenderly brushed her cheek with his thumb, wiping away the tear that had begun to trail down her cheek, before turning away and leaving without another word. Hermione watched his tense form retreat away from her as tears fell from her eyes. 

“Until then.”


End file.
